Cartier Panthere watch YG or Tiffany Victoria tennis bracelet?

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M

mc410

Member
Jan 13, 2010
17
13
#1
Hello ladies,

I have been a silent member of this forum for several years and this is the first time I am actually posting a tread to ask the forum's view on something.
This year I am going to turn 40 and given the special occasion, my hubby decided to treat me with a special gift. After thinking about it over and over, my wishlist is now down to two items which have the same cost (in the UK): the Panthere de Cartier watch in YG with diamonds (small) or the Tiffany Victoria tennis bracelet (4.49ct).

I already own several pieces of both brands, but clearly this is a special occasion and quite an important purchase, so that's why I a very undecided.

I think both items are classic pieces that will last forever and never go out of style, however my thinking is that while the Panthere watch is instantly recognisable as a Cartier watch, the Tiffany tennis bracelet might just look like as a regular tennis, which for the same ct. weight would cost a fraction of the price - I checked and saw that a 5ct tennis bracelet, with F colour diamonds from Italian brand Crivelli would cost c.€9k, while the 4.49ct Tiffany bracelet costs c.€27k. Clearly the Tiffany bracelet is stunning, and worth-it or not, it remains an amazing piece which in fact I am thinking very seriously about.

I am sure that many forum members own these pieces, so I wanted to ask about your honest opinion about them and if they are worth it. If you were in my shoes, which one would you pick?

Thank you in advance to all :) <3
 
#6
your local jeweler could most likely do a version of the tiffany bracelet in the exact specs you choose for a fraction of the price. It’s also possible to find a reputable reseller of the Cartier panther. Would it be piggish to research and see if you could find both for less (apologies if that’s too greedy a suggestion and not special enough)
 
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#7
Tiffany diamonds, while famous and beautiful (I do own a couple) are not worth the price, IMO. You’re really paying for the brand and yet simple diamond jewelry is not recognizable by Like @880 said, it would be better to go to a local reputable jeweler.

I may be biased because I have a thing for watches:lol: but I think the Cartier watch is an excellent choice! Timeless and classic :heart: it is a functional jewelry piece in a way as well!

Either way, they are both beautiful! go with what makes your heart sing more! :tup:
 
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#8
My mom absolutely loves Cartier watches, so if you’re watch person, I say go for that one.

For me, I’ve always thought jewelry looks better than watches. And ever since I got an Apple watch, I stopped wearing my other watches. (It’s been over 3 years since I worn a “real” watch…) I just love the functionality too much of the Apple Watch, and I lose my phone too often. Plus, again, I was never big on watches to begin with.

I think a diamond line bracelet requires much less maintenance than a watch, and it looks good when paired with other pieces of jewelry and watches. It’s a great and versatile piece to wear, either layered or on its own.

I would agree that the Victoria bracelet is maybe not “very” recognizable — at least until someone sees the flower clasp. But I would disagree that it looks like a typical tennis bracelet. I’ve compared the settings for many diamond bracelets, and the Tiffany Victoria has FAR better craftsmanship than the other bracelets I saw at my local jewelers. (I’ll share a photo of how it looks from the side view, where I especially noticed the superior quality.)

Personally, I ended up choosing the alternating version Victoria. A: because I love fancy shape diamonds. B: because this version looks wider — hence more “sparkly.” And C: because the design looks more iconic in my opinion.

That being said, even if you wear the round diamond version bracelet, I think anyone who knows jewelry brands would be able to discern that it’s a Tiffany bracelet, because eventually they’re going to notice the ingenious clasp mechanism.

I’ve looked at other Victoria “inspired” bracelets, and the marquise arrangements always looks clunky. Too much metal. Too many prongs. The designs I’ve seen are all so clunky and inelegant — especially in regards to the clasp area. Most recently, 3 weeks ago, I bizarrely saw a Victoria-inspired collection at Costco while grocery shopping. The pieces were pretty, sure, but when you compared them with Tiffany’s design, the marquise diamonds had much more noticeable bow ties, and the prongs were much more intrusive and obvious.

Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer. But, for me, a platinum and diamond line bracelet would get much more use than a watch. And I’ve received so many compliments on my bracelet ever since I started wearing it. At least 3 or 4 times a week, someone will tell me how they love the design.

I think this particular thread would be biased in favor of a Cartier watch. But in my everyday experience, I think the ordinary person off the streets would prefer the Victoria bracelet — at least in terms of beauty.

And maybe this isn’t important to you, but it’s hard for me to think of a more iconic diamond line bracelet than Victoria. It’s easy for me to think of more iconic watches than Panthere.
 

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#9
sosauce said:
My mom absolutely loves Cartier watches, so if you’re watch person, I say go for that one.

For me, I’ve always thought jewelry looks better than watches. And ever since I got an Apple watch, I stopped wearing my other watches. (It’s been over 3 years since I worn a “real” watch…) I just love the functionality too much of the Apple Watch, and I lose my phone too often. Plus, again, I was never big on watches to begin with.

I think a diamond line bracelet requires much less maintenance than a watch, and it looks good when paired with other pieces of jewelry and watches. It’s a great and versatile piece to wear, either layered or on its own.

I would agree that the Victoria bracelet is maybe not “very” recognizable — at least until someone sees the flower clasp. But I would disagree that it looks like a typical tennis bracelet. I’ve compared the settings for many diamond bracelets, and the Tiffany Victoria has FAR better craftsmanship than the other bracelets I saw at my local jewelers. (I’ll share a photo of how it looks from the side view, where I especially noticed the superior quality.)

Personally, I ended up choosing the alternating version Victoria. A: because I love fancy shape diamonds. B: because this version looks wider — hence more “sparkly.” And C: because the design looks more iconic in my opinion.

That being said, even if you wear the round diamond version bracelet, I think anyone who knows jewelry brands would be able to discern that it’s a Tiffany bracelet, because eventually they’re going to notice the ingenious clasp mechanism.

I’ve looked at other Victoria “inspired” bracelets, and the marquise arrangements always looks clunky. Too much metal. Too many prongs. The designs I’ve seen are all so clunky and inelegant — especially in regards to the clasp area. Most recently, 3 weeks ago, I bizarrely saw a Victoria-inspired collection at Costco while grocery shopping. The pieces were pretty, sure, but when you compared them with Tiffany’s design, the marquise diamonds had much more noticeable bow ties, and the prongs were much more intrusive and obvious.

Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer. But, for me, a platinum and diamond line bracelet would get much more use than a watch. And I’ve received so many compliments on my bracelet ever since I started wearing it. At least 3 or 4 times a week, someone will tell me how they love the design.

I think this particular thread would be biased in favor of a Cartier watch. But in my everyday experience, I think the ordinary person off the streets would prefer the Victoria bracelet — at least in terms of beauty.

And maybe this isn’t important to you, but it’s hard for me to think of a more iconic diamond line bracelet than Victoria. It’s easy for me to think of more iconic watches than Panthere.
Click to expand...

I completely agree! The Tiffany craftsmanship is unique and the design is superbe - Even in the line bracelet the diamonds have three prongs instead of four, so that they look like little drops...it's really stunning and I know that no other whatever tennis would look the same (at least for me). Having said that, your bracelet is absolutely amazing <3 <3
I was also thinking about getting the one you have because, as you said, it's more recognisable and the particular design, difficult to replicate, would help to better justify the price tag... even though this one is way more expensive and perhaps out of budget for now... :(
 
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#11
880 said:
your local jeweler could most likely do a version of the tiffany bracelet in the exact specs you choose for a fraction of the price. It’s also possible to find a reputable reseller of the Cartier panther. Would it be piggish to research and see if you could find both for less (apologies if that’s too greedy a suggestion and not special enough)
Click to expand...

I have also been thinking about this because, even for the Cartier watch, preloved items are at least half the original price if not less. However it might be a bit difficult to do, finding exactly what you are looking for, so I am not sure I'll have the patience to wait for the right opportunity - I am very much looking forward to opening a box on my birthday without too much hassle! :D
 
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#13
sosauce said:
My mom absolutely loves Cartier watches, so if you’re watch person, I say go for that one.

For me, I’ve always thought jewelry looks better than watches. And ever since I got an Apple watch, I stopped wearing my other watches. (It’s been over 3 years since I worn a “real” watch…) I just love the functionality too much of the Apple Watch, and I lose my phone too often. Plus, again, I was never big on watches to begin with.

I think a diamond line bracelet requires much less maintenance than a watch, and it looks good when paired with other pieces of jewelry and watches. It’s a great and versatile piece to wear, either layered or on its own.

I would agree that the Victoria bracelet is maybe not “very” recognizable — at least until someone sees the flower clasp. But I would disagree that it looks like a typical tennis bracelet. I’ve compared the settings for many diamond bracelets, and the Tiffany Victoria has FAR better craftsmanship than the other bracelets I saw at my local jewelers. (I’ll share a photo of how it looks from the side view, where I especially noticed the superior quality.)

Personally, I ended up choosing the alternating version Victoria. A: because I love fancy shape diamonds. B: because this version looks wider — hence more “sparkly.” And C: because the design looks more iconic in my opinion.

That being said, even if you wear the round diamond version bracelet, I think anyone who knows jewelry brands would be able to discern that it’s a Tiffany bracelet, because eventually they’re going to notice the ingenious clasp mechanism.

I’ve looked at other Victoria “inspired” bracelets, and the marquise arrangements always looks clunky. Too much metal. Too many prongs. The designs I’ve seen are all so clunky and inelegant — especially in regards to the clasp area. Most recently, 3 weeks ago, I bizarrely saw a Victoria-inspired collection at Costco while grocery shopping. The pieces were pretty, sure, but when you compared them with Tiffany’s design, the marquise diamonds had much more noticeable bow ties, and the prongs were much more intrusive and obvious.

Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer. But, for me, a platinum and diamond line bracelet would get much more use than a watch. And I’ve received so many compliments on my bracelet ever since I started wearing it. At least 3 or 4 times a week, someone will tell me how they love the design.

I think this particular thread would be biased in favor of a Cartier watch. But in my everyday experience, I think the ordinary person off the streets would prefer the Victoria bracelet — at least in terms of beauty.

And maybe this isn’t important to you, but it’s hard for me to think of a more iconic diamond line bracelet than Victoria. It’s easy for me to think of more iconic watches than Panthere.
Click to expand...
If this is the bracelet you're considering then it is absolutely amazing!
Which one fits your lifestyle better?
How much does a new piece matter to you vs preloved?
How much does a name brand matter (ie would you be satisfied with a local jeweler making a similar bracelet)?
 
#14
A bottle of Red said:
If this is the bracelet you're considering then it is absolutely amazing!
Which one fits your lifestyle better?
How much does a new piece matter to you vs preloved?
How much does a name brand matter (ie would you be satisfied with a local jeweler making a similar bracelet)?
Click to expand...

All fair points - the answer is no, I probably wouldn't settle for the similar bracelet because I know I could always tell the difference.
On preloved, I think the key challenge would be the difficulty to find exactly what I am looking for and also the fact that I would not be able to physically try on before purchasing. I am a big fan of vestiaire for example and I know they might often have those pieces, but I wouldn't feel comfortable paying at least €10k online without even trying on in person. I could accept that for rare and out of stock items, but not for pieces that I can find at the store. In that case, I think the experience of shopping at the flagship and all the annexes of that (champagne, me and hubby trying on the pieces, the packaging) would compensate part of the higher price, at least for me.
 
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#15
So then it seems it is either the actual Tiffany bracelet vs new Cartier watch.
If so the bracelet gets my vote.
You already have a rolex & the bracelet pictured above, with the marquis diamond flowers looks very special
Maybe imagine telling your dh to surprise you & imagine opening the box.
Which would you rather see.
Which would you feel a twinge of regret not to see, even if you loved what you got?
can you spend a few minutes trying on each piece & see what your heart says?
Either way, enjoy your gift & your birthday.
 
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